History of
Landscape Buffer
Requirements For
Residential
Developments
Palm Beach County Landscape
Code – Ordinance No. 73-1
There were no buffer requirements
for residential developments.
Palm Beach County
Landscape Code –
Section 500.35 April
1986
Minimum perimeter landscape strip for developments fifteen
(15) acres or more were required to be twenty-five (25) feet in
width (along Right-of-Way). No plantings were required for
interior buffers, only sod.
Minimum perimeter landscape strip for developments less than
(15) acres varied according to the ultimate width of the
abutting right-of-way (along Right-of-Way).
0 – 99 feet
100 + feet
Buffer width 10 feet
Buffer width 15 feet
Minimum Planting requirements for the buffer was one (1) tree
for each thirty (30) lineal feet of perimeter landscape strip
(along Right-of-way). Minimum tree height was ten (10) feet tall.
Palm Beach County Land
Development Code –
Article 7.3 Adopted June
1992
In 1992 the Code was
changed to require
buffers with plantings in
along perimeters of a
Development.
Perimeter compatibility buffer. A five (5) foot
compatibility buffer shall be required between all
compatible use types. One (1) Tree shall be planted for
each thirty (30) lineal feet of perimeter landscape strip.
Tree sizes were twelve (12) feet tall.
Right-of-way buffer. One (1) tree shall be planted for each thirty
(30) lineal feet of perimeter landscape strip. Tree sizes were
twelve (12) feet tall.
0 – 99 feet
Buffer width 15 feet
100 + feet
Buffer width 20 feet
Perimeter incompatibility buffer. An incompatibility buffer shall
be required between all incompatible types or incompatible
pods in a Planned Development. One (1) tree shall be planted
for each twenty (20) lineal feet of perimeter landscape strip.
The width of the incompatibility strip varied from ten (10) to
twenty (20) feet, depending on the density, height and use of
the adjacent property. Tree sizes were twelve (12) feet tall.
Palm Beach County
Unified Land
Development Code –
Article 7 Adopted
January 2004
Right-of-way buffer. One (1) tree shall be planted for each twentyfive (25) lineal feet of perimeter landscape strip. Tree sizes are
twelve feet tall. Tier Shrubs requirements were added at this
time.
0-99 feet
100+ feet
Buffer width 15 feet
Buffer width 20 feet
Perimeter compatibility buffer. A minimum five (5) foot buffer shall
be required between all compatible use types. One (1) tree shall
be planted for each twenty-five (25) lineal feet of perimeter buffer
strip. Tree size are twelve (12) feet tall. A continuous solid visual
screen at least three feet in height composed of hedge or shrubs
either alone or in combination with a wall, fence or berm. Hedges
and shrubs shall reach the required height within two years of
installation.
Perimeter Incompatibility buffer. An incompatibility buffer shall be
required between all incompatible types or incompatible pods in a
Planned Development. One (1) tree shall be planted for each twenty
(20) lineal feet of perimeter landscape strip. The width of the
incompatibility strip varied from ten (10) to twenty (20) feet,
depending on the density, height and use of the adjacent property.
Tree size is twelve (12) feet tall.
History of
Residential
Landscape
Requirements
Palm Beach County
Landscape Code –
Ordinance No. 73-1
There were no interior
requirements for residential
developments.
Palm Beach County Landscape
Code – Section 500.35 April
1986
One tree shall be planted or preserved
for every 1,500 square feet of area of a
residential lot or fraction thereof,
excluding only areas of vegetation
required to be preserved by law. No
more than fifteen (15) new trees shall be
required.
Palm Beach County Land
Development Code – Article
7.3 Adopted June 1992
One (1) tree shall be planted or preserved for every 1,500
square feet of single family lot, excluding area of
vegetation required to be preserved. No more than fifteen
(15) new trees shall be required per lot. Black Olive trees
must be a minimum fifteen (15) feet from any structure or
utility and Ficus trees must be a minimum of thirty (30)
feet from any structure or utility.
Palm Beach County Unified
Land Development Code Article 7 Adopted January
2004
The Code established minimum
tier requirements for residential
lots.
U/S Tier – one (1) tree shall be planted
for every 1,250 square feet of single
family lot.
AGR and Glades Tiers – one (1) tree
shall be planted for every 1,000 square
feet of single family lot.
Exurban and Rural Tiers – one (1)
tree shall be planted for every 800
square feet of single family lot.
During this code revision the maximum
number of trees per lot increased to
thirty (30).
Table 7.C.3 - Minimum Tier Requirements Code Requirements
U/S Tier 8
AGR and Glades Tiers
Exurban and Rural Tiers
Minimum Tree Quantities - Residential Lot
1 per 1,250 sq. ft. (max. 15) 1 per 1,000 sq. ft. (max. 30) 1 per 800 sq. ft. (max. 30)
Minimum Tree Quantities - Non-Residential Lot
1 per 2,000 sq. ft.
1 per 1,500 sq. ft.
1 per 1,200 sq. ft.
Minimum Shrub Quantities - Residential Lot5
3 per 1,250 sq. ft. (max. 45) 3 per 1,000 sq. ft. (max. 90) 3 per 800 sq. ft. (max. 90)
How is the required
landscaping
currently determined
for a residence?
The required minimum planting is based on the lot size. In
the US tier if a lot is 75’ x 130’ the total sq/ft = 9750/1250 =
7.8 or 8 trees (rounded up) and 24 shrubs. There is no
requirement as to where on the property the material is to
be planted.
What is currently
allowed to be planted
on a residential lot?
All trees and palm species as defined in the
preferred species list and those subject for
approval from the Palm Beach County landscape
department
Palms may not be used in excess of 25 percent
of the total number of required trees. Article
7.D.2.B
Table 7.D.2.B - Palm Height Standards
Minimum Height
12 feet overall height as noted below;
8 feet clear trunk
6 feet Grey wood for Royals and similar species
4 feet Grey wood for Phoenixes and similar species
4 feet clear trunk for preserved native palms
Minimum Diameter
See Florida Standards for specific species
Tree Specification requirements
Code does not specify location of
where required landscaping is to
be installed on residential lots
but, care should be taken for
future needs. I.e.. Pools, additions
etc.
The Golden Rule to
follow is – “Plant
The Right Tree in the
Right Place”
How do we
determine the
requirements for
the interior planting
of a project?
Abell Property PUD
2005-289
We first determine
the area for the
buffers
West buffer 15 x 1601 =
24,015 sq/ft
North Buffer 20 x 664 =
13,280 sq/ft
East Buffer 20 x 1619 =
32,380 sq/ft
South Buffer 15 x 913 =
13,695 sq/ft
Buffer east side of
future Haverhill Rd 20 x
1225 = 24,500 sq/ft
Total perimeter
Buffer = 107,870
sq/ft
Total area is 39.87
acres or 1,935,198
sq/ft
1,935,198 -107,870
(buffers) = 1,827,328
sq/ft
We then need to remove
the square footage of the
required lake areas
4.54 acre + 1.65 acre
+ 1.49 acre = 7.68
acres = 334,540 sq/ft
Total interior area
= 1,492,788 sq/ft or
34.26 acres
With 1,492,788 sq ft
interior space divided by
1250 = 1194 required
interior trees
Where do these
required tree go???
There are 106 zero lot line
homes with pools with an
average of 5.5 trees per lot
which = 583 trees
Interior Landscaping
Minimum Tree Quantities - Residential Lot US Tier
1 per 1,250 sq. ft. (max. 15)
55 x 120 = 5 trees / 60 x 120 = 6 trees
How can we fit the required landscaping on site?
Palm
Canopy Tree
By planting the required
583 trees on the lots
this leaves a balance of
611 tree to be planted
on the property as
current code is written.
The yellow
high lighted
area
represents
the remaining
space for
planting
although
more than
the minimum
required
trees can be
planted on
individual lots